Hussey says goodbye on his own terms

There's little doubt Michael Hussey's international cricket career will be remembered exactly as he wants it to be.

"Someone who loved the game, was a good team man, someone that was very passionate about the game, prepared very well and just gave his all for his country," Hussey said on Sunday when asked how he'd like to be recalled.

Emotion only got the better of Hussey once at a media conference called in Melbourne to discuss his decision to quit international cricket at the end of this summer.

Michael Hussey of Australia holds his son Oscar as he talks to his daughters Jasmin and Molly and son William after Sunday's retirement press conference. Photo: Getty images

Now, the prospect of more than six months on the road without his family was a prospect filling him with dread.

"When I started looking ahead towards the India series and the Ashes series, you really need to be 100 per cent committed towards the challenges they're going to present to the team," Hussey said on Sunday.